Conservation of biological and cultural diversity ensures human and environmental well-being. Cultural heritage sites have been recognized as a refuge for important plant species. The Peloponnese in Greece hosts especially diverse cultural heritage sites, and is characterized by high plant diversity and endemism, being one of the Mediterranean Basin’s biodiversity hotspots. However, there is a lack of studies on the vascular flora in important cultural heritage sites, including castles and their surroundings. The aim of this study is the exploration of different aspects of the flora found in culturally important castles located in the Eastern Peloponnese, with emphasis on wall and cliff plants, as well as on ruderal and alien ones. Furthermore, the assessment of the interactions of natural plant communities with cultural elements such as castles’ walls, is vital for the proper management of the heritage sites and for highlighting their natural elements. Our results reveal the rich plant diversity and high degree of endemism of the areas studied. The assessment of the conservation of biodiversity in the sites studied underlines the need for proper management and sustainable use of both the cultural and natural heritage.

Asperula naufragais a rare and threatened obligate chasmophyte, endemic to Zakynthos island (Ionian islands, Greece). In this study, we provide a combined approach (including monitoring of demographic and reproductive parameters and study of genetic diversity) to assess the current conservation status of the species and to estimate its future extinction risk. The five subpopulations ofA.naufragawere monitored for five years (2014–2018). Population size markedly fluctuated between 68–130 mature individuals during the monitoring period. The extent of occurrence (EOO) was estimated at 28.7 km²and the area of occupancy (AOO) was 8 km². Stage-structure recordings were similar for all subpopulations, characterized by high proportions of adult and senescent individuals, following a common pattern, which has been observed in other cliff-dwelling plants. Preliminary genetic analysis with SSRs markers revealed low heterozygosity within subpopulations and significant departure from H-W equilibrium, which combined with small population size suggest increased threat of genetic diversity loss. Our results indicate that the species should be placed in the Critically Endangered (CR) IUCN threat category, while according to Population Viability Analysis results its extinction risk increases to 47.8% in the next 50 years. The small population size combined with large fluctuations in its size, low recruitment and low genetic diversity, indicate the need of undertaking effectivein situandex situconservation measures.

Limonium korakonisicum (Plumbaginaceae), a new species from Zakynthos Island (Ionian Islands, Greece), is described and illustrated from the only known population (locality Korakonisi) located in the southwestern coast of the island. The hexaploid chromosome number (2n=6x=51), the karyotype and the self-incompatible pollen-stigma combination A (‘A’pollen and ‘Cob’ stigma), support that L. korakonisicum is an apomictic taxon originated through hybridization. This new taxon is related to the polyploid apomictic Limonium species which are prevalent in the Aegean area and especially to the recently described Cytherian endemic L. spreitzenhoferi Erben & Brullo. The morphological differences of L. korakonisicum from L. spreitzenhoferi as well as from the sexual diploid endemic L. phitosianum, which coexists at the same locality, are discussed. Data on the ecology and conservation status of the new species are also given.